What happened to YaYa DaCosta's April Sexton on 'Chicago Med'?

ER Nurse April Sexton has been one of the most pivotal character on 'Chicago Med', but what is the reason for her absence from the show lately
UPDATED SEP 20, 2022
YaYa DaCosta as April Sexton in 'Chicago Med' (NBC)
YaYa DaCosta as April Sexton in 'Chicago Med' (NBC)

For the past six seasons, ‘Chicago Med’ has been treating viewers with some of the most enthralling stories of taking people out of danger and saving lives. One of the most important characters on the show has been ER Nurse April Sexton. Since the show’s inception in 2015, Sexton has saved numerous lives and become one of the most loved characters on the show.

From the very start, she has been a no-nonsense person and that’s why viewers were able to connect so well with her. On the other hand, her relationships with the other members of the ED staff also made her an essential part of the show’s ensemble.

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Brian Tee (Dr. Ethan Choi) and YaYa DaCosta (April DaCosta) in 'Chicago Med' (NBC)
Brian Tee (Dr. Ethan Choi) and YaYa DaCosta (April DaCosta) in 'Chicago Med' (NBC)

However, fans got a shock of a lifetime when YaYa DaCosta, who portrays April Sexton on the show, announced that she won’t be renewing her contract after Season 6.
Everyone was really surprised by the decision because Sexton’s storyline was liked by one and all. So, why did she leave the show, and what happened to her character in the end? Take a look.

What happened to April Sexton on ‘Chicago Med’?

On May 12, a report by TV Line suggested that there will be some changes in the cast of ‘Chicago Med’ after Season 6 and possibly, some major characters might leave the show. Almost a day after the report surfaced online, actor YaYa DaCosta took to Instagram and announced that she won’t be returning for Season 7. She posted several photos of her with the cast and shared a farewell statement in which she thanked everyone who supported her over the years. She added, “After six amazing seasons of working with some of the most dedicated people in the business, learning wild medical jargon, growing as an actor and as a person… my time as April Sexton on ‘Chicago Med’ has come to a close.”

So, what happened to April, and how was her character was written off?



 

In the Season 6 finale, we get to know that Sexton has been accepted into a nurse practitioner program. She didn’t think twice and decided to leave the Gaffney Chicago Medical Center to pursue her dream opportunity. However, even before she could have told this happy news to Ethan Choi, she gets the news of Ethan getting almost killed in the hospital parking lot. Ethan was in a critical condition and his fellow colleagues were talking about proper treatment. A few moments later we get to know that Choi has been taken to the operation theatre for emergency surgery. Luckily, he survives the surgery.
When Ethan wakes up, Sexton doesn’t take much time in confessing her love. However, she didn’t drop her plan and left the hospital to achieve her dreams.

In an interview with Deadline, DaCosta revealed that she left NBC’s medical drama to be a part of FOX’s series ‘Our Kind of People’.

Yaya DaCosta attends The Little Market's International Women's Day Luncheon on March 08, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.
Yaya DaCosta attends The Little Market's International Women's Day Luncheon on March 08, 2022, in Los Angeles, California (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

There was just a single mention of her character in Season 7. Otherwise, April Sexton was not mentioned in any important conversations during the seventh edition and it’s highly unlikely that she will be discussed in the upcoming season as well.

'Chicago Med' returns to NBC with a new season on Wednesday, September 21, at 8 pm EST. 

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